NHER 12237 (Building record) - Denver Mill

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Summary

A windmill, built in 1835, with timber sails and cap and associated buildings, which was restored in the 1990s and opened to the public.

Protected Status/Designation

Location

Map sheet TF60SW
Civil Parish DENVER, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK

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July 1951. Listed, Grade II.
Listing Description:
Tower Mill dating from 1835 and restored in the 1970's. It is constructed of rendered brick with a weatherboarded ogee cap, timber six bladed fantail and 4 timber sails. It is of 6 storeys with a gallery at the third floor. Sloping timber casements hinged at centre. All machinery survives including curb track, brake wheel, wallower, one pair of stones, corn chutes, nuts and tentering gear.
Information from (S1).
H. White, (NLA), 23 September 2009

Denver wind mill.
Fine tower mill complete with sails, cap and ancillary buildings around base.
Working until recently, is now being restored and painted green.
See (S1).
Visited E. Rose (NAU) 17 February 1977.

Built in 1835.
Closed in 1969 having been converted to diesel power in 1941.
Fantail restored in 1982.
Under further restoration 1984 to 1998
E. Rose (NLA)

March 1986.
The mill was struck by lightning in 1941 and afterwards refused to work by wind power.
See (S2) for details
H. White, (NLA), 23 September 2009

May 1996.
During 1943 the mill was used as a landmark for aircraft
See (S3) for further details
H. White, (NLA), 25 September 2009

October 1998.
The mill has won £378,000 for restoration, in order to allow it to open as a tourist attraction. The money will be used to provide a visitor centre and convert three buildings into holiday cottages. The mill will grind corn by windpower for the first time since 1941.
See (S4) and (S5) for further details
H. White, (NLA), 25 September 2009

January 2010.
Mill threatened with closure due to financial difficulties.
See (S6) for details,
H. White (NLA), 28 January 2010.

April 2010.
2 new sails installed as part of ongoing £100,000 refurbishment work,
See (S8) for further details,
H. White (NLA), 29 April 2010.

January 2012
Last stock and sail removed from the mill
See (S9) for further details.
A. Rix (HES), 24 January 2011.

  • --- *Rolled Plan: Large Plan Exists.
  • --- Fiche: Exists.
  • --- Monograph: Pevsner, N and Wilson, B. 1999. Norfolk 2: North-West and South. The Buildings of England. 2nd Edition. p 280.
  • --- Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1975. [Articles on the restoration and reopening of Denver Mill].
  • --- Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1976. Last laugh for 'lighthouse on a land-locked shore'. 15 November.
  • --- Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1976. Seeking friends for windmills. 7 October.
  • --- Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1977-1982. [Articles on restoration work at Denver Mill].
  • --- Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1977. Plaque marks gift of Denver Mill. 5 April.
  • --- Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1983-1984. [Articles on the work undertaken at Denver Mill].
  • --- Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1988-1991. [Articles on the restoration at Denver Mill].
  • --- Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1991. Mill cap fitting is a tall order. 16 October.
  • --- Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1997. Rosy future for a stately landmark. 31 January.
  • --- Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1998. [Articles on Denver Mill grinding corn by wind power for the first time since restoration work].
  • --- Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2000. Grinding a floury way into history. 22 March.
  • --- Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2000. Sails lowered to rebuild a splendid past. 27 October.
  • --- Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2000. Vetrans recall role of mill in wartime. 11 September.
  • --- Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2004. The high life for specialist painters. 27 May.
  • --- Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2008. Family dream is grist to the landmark mill. 28 March.
  • --- Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2010. Repairs row could mean old mill sails stop turning. 5 January.
  • --- Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2011. Lucky escape for pupils as windmill sail comes loose. 5 October.
  • --- Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2013. New era for iconic mill as it reopens doors to public. 10 August.
  • --- Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2013. Spotlight on the buildings that open a window on our past. 10 October.
  • --- Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2016. Historic mill sale in final stages as trust seeks permission for repairs. 11 February.
  • --- Newspaper Article: Lynn News. 1990-1991. [Articles on the restoration of Denver Mill].
  • --- Oblique Aerial Photograph: Various. ? - 2020. Norfolk Air Photo Library: Oblique Collection. TF6001/A-D; 08-JUL-1988 (HES 201/DVF 5-8).
  • --- Photograph: 1962 - 1975. Denver Mill. Print.
  • --- Photograph: 1975. Denver Mill. Print.
  • --- Photograph: 1977. Photographs of internal machinery in Denver Mill. Black & white.
  • --- Photograph: 1992. Denver Windmill. Print.
  • --- Photograph: 2003. Photographs of NWT 40th anniversary, Denver Mill. Colour.
  • --- Photograph: Denver Mill. Print.
  • --- Photograph: Denver Mill. Print.
  • --- Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
  • --- Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TF 60 SW 18.
  • --- Secondary File: Secondary File.
  • --- Unpublished Document: Brownhill, P. E. 1994. Feasibility Study. Denver Mill. Potential for the Development of Visitor Facilities. Duval Brownhill Partnership.
  • --- Website: Neville, J.. 2004. Denver towermill. http://www.norfolkmills.co.uk/Windmills/denver-towermill.html. 26 October 2010.
  • <S1> Designation: Historic England. National Heritage List for England. List Entry 1077850.
  • <S2> Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1986-1993. [Photographs and an illustration of Denver Mill].
  • <S3> Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1994-1996. [Articles on the proposed restoration of Denver Mill to working order].
  • <S4> Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1998. Lottery cash to set sails turning again. 27 October.
  • <S5> Newspaper Article: Lynn News. 1993-2000. [Articles on the converting Denver Mill into a tourist attraction].
  • <S6> Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2010. [Articles on the dispute between tenants and the Norfolk Historic Buildings Trust].
  • <S8> Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2010. Repairs put wind back in mill's sails. 29 April.
  • <S9> Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2012. [Articles on the funding needed to restore the sails at Denver Mill].

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Record last edited

Mar 12 2025 4:43PM

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